Carla Freschi

For Carla Freschi, her artwork is fundamentally about bringing a calmness to life and taking a moment to slow down. The Argentinian artist recently said: ‘Most people say my work brings calmness and that’s exactly how I want them to feel. There is something implicit on embroidery’s narrative that makes people slow down for a moment. I also like when the viewer takes ownership of a piece and finds shapes and a different appreciation from what I see, leading to a new space that is safe and comfortable for conversation’. 

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The artwork created is a reflection of Freschi's experiences throughout her travels while living abroad and addresses topics such as intuition, beauty of imperfection, love and nature through a calm aesthetic. 

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Freschi kindly sent across her 2020 catalogues which arrive in three sections. The Shodō series: influenced by Japanese calligraphy, Shodō is one of the oldest and most profound traditional art forms in Japan. It focuses on simplicity, beauty and a mind-body connection, and is achieved through elements of art, line, shape and space. A skill which requires much practice and a connection with your inner self. The Tintas catalogue: original handmade artworks, signed by Freschi, on cotton paper, handmade by local artisans with thoughtfully picked materials ensuring the highest quality. Lastly, Embroideries on linen: repetitive movements express Freschi’s ideas, feelings and reflections. This requires patience and discipline that can be seen as a ‘meditative act’ for the artist. 

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Freschi also creates work for private collectors and enjoys making every piece, ‘one of a kind’. This is artwork that would complement a minimal, spacious home: a hallway or dining space with herringbone flooring and high ceilings, or a contemporary living space mixed with traditional design.

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Freschi's passion for art began at school and she still treasures two books given to her by her art teacher. These were, “Linnea in Monet’s Garden” and “Looking at Paintings”. She told The Kiln Edit about the special moment when she visited Monet's House in Giverny,

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'My love for Monet’s work began when my art teacher gave me Linnea’s book. It marked my life so much that I wanted to be an artist. There is a very traditional festivity in Latin American cultures when you turn 15 years old: girls throw huge parties or travel to Disney World. I wanted to visit Monet’s house. It wasn’t until I was 27 that I finally got to step on the famous Japanese bridge. I went by myself because I felt it had to be that way. I took a train, rented a bike and pedalled across the same impressionist landscapes he knew how to capture with his brush. I’ll never forget the wind in my face and my tears of joy along the way. I stayed all day, from the house to the garden, back and forth. I took a nap under the sun and I explored every corner: his bedroom, his studio, that beautiful bridge on the garden, trying to reproduce his steps and reflections. After all those years, I finally got to play as if I was Linnea in Monet’s garden. Just like I had always dreamt of'.

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The Nymphea series (Ode To My First Love) is her own homage to Claude Monet’s Water Lilies. The Nymphea Series represents a deconstructed interpretation which enhances the beauty of raw, unfinished content in an effortless manner, finding natural balance between movement and calmness. 

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Freschi is an advocate for a slower approach to life, and once said, ‘I hope people change daily habits in terms of climate change by recycling or becoming conscious consumers that are aware of the impact we have on Earth, to name a few. On the social side, I hope people slow down a little bit from now on and most importantly, be grateful and live in the present.’ With this in mind, Freschi has a project coming up with Koto Cabins: award winning architects and designers who focus on healthy, thoughtful and sustainable houses and cabins.

 

More upcoming projects include, a collaborative piece with Japanese artist, Eriko Aiura, focusing on calligraphy, which relates to the Shodō series. Freschi is also working on packaging design for Louis and Lewis and is currently busy working as an artist in residence at Proyecto'ace, her first residency, which is completely remote, exchanging ideas with artists from all over the world. 

You can contact Carla Freschi and see her artwork gallery at http://carlafreschi.art/en/

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Freschi will be exhibiting at the Affordable Art Fair NYC March 2021.